According to various studies, it is essential for your child to have music lessons during early childhood. It helps in the creation of critical pathways that help their brains to develop. Exposing your child early to musical instruments like pianos means your child will experience a head start when it comes to creativity in music as well as learning how to express themselves musically. Before you enroll your child in piano lessons, there are a few things you should know.
To succeed in this, you need to have a checklist of the things you should have to speed up the learning process of your child. Taking some crucial steps in advance will help improve your child’s learning curve and ensure that you’re well equipped to nurture the talent of your child to become a seasoned pianist.
Here is how to prepare your child for piano lessons:
Buy the Right Piano
Buying a piano may not seem like a great insight to you, but without a piano at home, your child will not progress well. The child needs a piano which will be essential for practicing between lessons. So what does not having a piano mean? Until you purchase a piano, there will be no need to organize piano lessons for your child, so you’ll need to consider some steps as you look for an electric piano that suits your child.
You can decide to buy an acoustic piano that is of good quality or a digital piano with 88 keys for your older kid. A small digital piano would be great if you are living in an apartment where you don’t have enough space. However, you may also prefer an acoustic piano because it offers some unique features that a digital piano cannot offer. Your child may develop well by starting with an acoustic piano which has a better touch response that a digital piano may not provide.
Digital pianos could also be your best option because they come with great extras and offers that you may find appealing. If you decide to purchase a digital piano, you must consider the quality of the digital piano you purchase. Consider things such as the sensitivity to touch, weighted keys, music stand, fixed pedal and great sound that can match the quality of the sound of a real piano. You want your kid to practice on an almost realistic piano.
Choose Your Piano Placement in the House Wisely
How would you feel if you are practicing in the darkest corner of the room? Would you concentrate if you have a piano alongside the TV? The two great reasons why your child will fail to practice is when the piano is put in a secluded place or where there are too many distractions. If the piano is hidden in the darkest part of the room, your child may understand that the piano is not something normal or it is not that useful to the family.
That can lead to the child not practicing regularly. Again, if you want your child to practice, avoid putting the piano in an area where they are competing with television or other form of entertainment, because it can be disruptive and lead to lack of practice. Piano placement in the house plays a critical role in defining how well your child embraces piano lessons.
Keep Your Piano Tuned
If you own a piano, you must always keep it tuned, according to Thought Co. It may mean finding a piano tuner at a fee. If you book a piano tuner, ensure you are in the house as they do their job, as it will also be a learning process. Next time you need to tune your piano, you can do it yourself. If you have a piano that is out of tune, it means that your child will feel unmotivated. A properly tuned piano boosts confidence and makes playing a piano more exciting.
Have a Piano in the House Before Your Child Starts Lessons
You should ensure you have a piano in your house months before your child can start going for lessons. It may not seem important initially, but it helps your child to develop a sense of being around the piano. It will also be a way of allowing your child to explore and learn little things about the instrument before starting lessons, and this could be a huge boost for them.
Tell Your Child to Try it Out Before Starting Lessons
Before your child can start lessons, you should encourage them to try playing the piano. Playing the piano even before starting lessons will be a great advantage because they will become familiar with the keys, the sound made by the keys as well as how to create music with different tones and sounds. Such exposure will save you time during the first week of learning for your child. Trying a piano early helps them learn quickly and ready to start learning.
Buy a Piano Chair That can be Adjusted
Practicing piano can be hectic if you are using the wrong chair with a height that makes you uncomfortable when playing. Ensuring seating comfort is important when playing a piano. To ensure your kid is comfortable, you’ll want to invest in an adjustable piano chair that fits your child’s age. It’s also important to teach your child the proper sitting posture when playing the piano and also get them some essential piano accessories to make the experience better.
Notice How Your Child is Playing
When your child starts playing, you need to watch and identify their playing pattern. After you have discovered the pattern, talk to them about the discoveries during the right time. Do they play the same thing when they practice or do they play a particular sound for a few days then move to something else? As they continue with their lessons, it’s good to validate and consolidate how they are progressing and the discoveries they are making on a daily basis.
Ensure Your Child Knows the Left Side and Right Side Difference
This is critical for any piano lessons. It will help your child to develop a physical awareness which will be crucial when it comes to learning the most important keyboard skills. Such awareness will enable your child to become a good pianist. Understanding the differences between the left and right side of the piano will boost and lay the physical foundation concerning physical fluency of playing the piano.
Conclusion
Guiding your child along the way as they practice will enable them to develop strong skills when it comes to playing the piano. Ensure you prepare your child well before they start learning piano lessons. That will boost their understanding and confidence when they start the piano lessons. With the right piano and a great pianist for guidance, kids are able to learn fast.
These are great tips on pianos.